BY MATHIUS KAHUNGU
Residents of Karambi sub-county in Bukonzo County West, Kasese district have called for the immediate intervention of the District Agricultural Department to conduct thorough research about the Banana Bacterial Wilt Disease that has claimed almost all plantations in the lower local government.
The residents sounded the call on Wednesday afternoon in an exclusive interview with Messiah Radio at Mirami Church of Uganda Parish.
Frazia Kabugho Sabuni, a trader at Mpondwe Market and a resident of Kyasenda village in Karambi sub-county alleges that ever since the outbreak of the disease, the prices of bananas have been hiked, forcing them to depend on imported ones from distant places.
Sezi Baluku Ndyamikono, another resident from Kyasenda village narrates that even the suckers that they planted after the prescribed period of time have also got infected, calling for intensive research by the District Agricultural Department.
He says after losing banana plantations to the disease, they resorted to planting cocoa but to his dismay, it has also developed the same pests, leading to stunted growth.
Earlier in his report, the Vicar at Mirami Church of Uganda Parish, the Rev. Julius Ngangasi, had decried the same challenge and asked the church authorities at Diocesan level to find experts who would be tasked with the role of investigating the disease before the whole area is stuck by hunger and the situation goes out of hand.
ENDS